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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073034">eyes shut tight, never open up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrahartley/pseuds/electrahartley'>electrahartley</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Chaos learns Fitzroy's true weakness, M/M, takes place sometime after episode 22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:55:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>964</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26073034</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrahartley/pseuds/electrahartley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Argo…?” Fitzroy reached a hand out to place on the other’s shoulder, but before he could make contact, Argo disappeared.</p><p>Fitzroy‘s hand hovered in the air for a moment yet, then dropped back to his side with a sigh.</p><p>“Thank you Chaos, very cool. Why are you being so cryptic? You trying to tell me something about Argo? What’s goin’ on with him?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Argo Keene/Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>88</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>eyes shut tight, never open up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hartley "funny stuff!" taakoshell blacked out and wrote almost 1k words of. whatever this is in like 40 minutes and it is NOT edited very much bc i wrote this on my phone and can't be bothered</p><p>i rly dont write shit like this very often so i am out of my comfort zone a little lmao but i hope u enjoy it</p><p>the fic title is from the song you're at the party by lemon demon, listen to it if you want to get hyped up to kill a man and/or think about chaos</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Fitzroy was alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was alone and he didn’t know where he was, not that he could even make out his surroundings anyway. It was far too dark; he could barely see his hand in front of his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had a feeling this was a dream, but not the usual kind he got in his half trances. He bit his lip, attempting to look around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ohhh, Chaos? You here somewhere?” He called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a light, much like a spotlight, kicked on, and in that light stood Argo. Fitzroy lit up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Argo? Hey, buddy, what’s goin’ on?” He said, approaching the other man. Argo stayed silent, expression blank. Fitzroy furrowed his eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Argo…?” Fitzroy reached a hand out to place on the other’s shoulder, but before he could make contact, Argo disappeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitzroy‘s hand hovered in the air for a moment yet, then dropped back to his side with a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Chaos, very cool. Why are you being so cryptic? You trying to tell me something about Argo? What’s goin’ on with him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, another vision of Argo appeared, under another spotlight. But he wasn’t alone this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A snake was coiled tightly around his neck, and he was struggling to breathe. Fitzroy’s eyes widened, and despite it looking just like a regular snake, he somehow knew that snake was Chaos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let him go!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A voice echoed around the room, not seeming like it came from any direction in particular, but rather all around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now why would I do that?” They said, their tone eerily calm as it ever was. “I’ve got your whole world in my grasp.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let him GO! He can’t breathe!” Fitzroy cried, and even though he knew this was only a dream, it wasn’t real, he couldn’t stop the panic that rose in his chest. Because with Chaos, he learned, some dreams don’t stay dreams.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that you said at the tribunal again?” Chaos said, tightening their grip around Argo. “Touch a hair on Argonaut Keene’s head, and you’ll explode the room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitzroy’s heart sank. He felt like he was going to throw up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here I was, tempting you with power, with fame, when I really should’ve done this from the start.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave him alone, Chaos. You want me, right? Leave him out of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but that’s the point, isn’t it? I thought I was so close with that future dream I bestowed you with. I thought I had you at your breaking point. But clearly, there are different, more important things to you than being powerful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Fitzroy felt Chaos’ nine foot presence standing directly behind him. He whipped around. He was terrified. But he wasn’t going to let that show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t say I know what you’re getting at here. Argo is just,” he paused, “Argo is just my sidekick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he?” Said Chaos, and another spotlight kicked on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another vision of Argo, but he looked older, more worn, and walked far more confidently than he had ever seen him. He had a full beard, and a scar over his eye. He was walking towards someone, but with the angle the vision was at, Fitzroy couldn’t make out who he was approaching. Vision Argo swept the person up into a kiss, and Fitzroy, despite himself, felt a pang of jealousy, until he finally saw who he was kissing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Himself, from his future dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome home, my love,” The Stormbringer said. “How was your voyage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, ‘bout the usual, y’know. I love the sea, I do, but nothin’ compares to comin’ home to your arms,” replied The Kraken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vision dissipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitzroy felt a whirlwind of emotions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For once, he was speechless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll put it this way, Fitzroy,” Chaos said. “Give into me, and that future could be yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chaos’ presence suddenly disappeared, and their voice was disembodied once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t… Well, there won’t be a hair on Argonaut’s pretty little head left unharmed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Fitzroy woke up. He shot out of bed, panting heavily and drenched in a cold sweat. He had to check on Argo, he had to just see him. Quietly, he tiptoed over to the adjoining room, and cracked the door open a peek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Firbolg was still sleeping soundly in the corner of the room, and Argo appeared to be asleep as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Argo… There’s so much I want to say to you. But I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to. You’ve been… a wonderful friend to me, loyal almost to a fault. And I love you for it. But not just for that. For so many other things. I love you, Argonaut Keene. But… there’s something that I have to do, and it’s a bit of a scary thing, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen when I do it. But just know if some crazy shit starts to pop off, I had no other choice. I had to do it. I couldn’t let anything happen to you. Or everything could just be fine, and I am just here, in your bedroom, quietly raving like a madman while you’re asleep and can’t even hear what I’m saying. Hopefully, it’s the latter.” Fitzroy spoke softly, and then took a deep breath and headed back to his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Argo couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. He thought he heard Fitzroy enter his room last night, and he thought he heard him talking, but he couldn’t make out what he was saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were you in my room last night?” He asked over breakfast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Fitzroy said. “Why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh, weird. Thought I heard ya come in and start speaking to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably just a dream.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… Must’ve been.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitzroy smiled, a wicked, unsettling smile.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tumblr is @taakoshell if u would like to yell &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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